


Not Everyone Starts Their Journey at 10

by SparrowStrike



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Galar-chihou | Galar, Isshu-chihou | Unova, OCs - Freeform, Pokemon, Pokemon Battles, Pokemon Journey, Pokemon Trainers, Pokemon Training, squirtle - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-25
Updated: 2020-03-25
Packaged: 2021-03-01 04:47:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,207
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23319343
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SparrowStrike/pseuds/SparrowStrike
Summary: Ann Lynn is a 23 year old engineering student at the Technological University in Celend on the Lake. She's 3 months shy of graduating with a mechanical engineering degree and a concentration in biomimicry, an area with all sorts of potential in the world of Pokemon. When the circumstances line up just right, she finds herself with the time and means to finally catch her first Pokemon and start her journey. This is her journal.Inspiration pulled from Pokemon Go and years of consuming Pokemon media in all its various forms.
Kudos: 2





	1. Chapter 1

So… I don’t really know what I’m supposed to write in this thing, but Ari says all real trainers keep a journal and if I’m going to do this I need to go all in and do it right.

My name is Ann, I’m 23 years old, and today I’m going to start my Pokemon journey. A little late, but better than never I guess. 

I didn’t grow up with Pokemon. Sure, I saw the occasional wild rattatta and caterpie in the neighborhood garden and I watched all the league battles on TV, but no one in my neighborhood owned any Pokemon. Pokemon are powerful, even the little ones. Aka they don’t do well cooped up in small apartments. Pokemon deserve space to roam or extensive exercise and most need specialized care. No one in my house had the time or money for us to keep a Pokemon as a pet. As for going on a Pokemon journey at 10… let’s just say my parents weren’t a fan. With no local gyms or trainer schools, there was no where for me to go that didn’t involve an airplane ticket. I knew early on that becoming a Pokemon trainer wasn’t in my cards.

I never told my parents that the morning of my 10th birthday there was still a piece of me hoping to find a pokeball waiting for me.

The only person I’ve ever told that to is my best friend, Ari. She’s the one responsible for reigniting my childhood dreams of Pokemon battles and adventures to faraway places.

I met Ari when I moved to Celend on the Lake for college. She was my freshmen roommate and we became fast friends. She’s a studying to become a poke-biologist. Ari grew up in the heart of the Unova League, Castelia City. She went on a journey at 10, collected 6 badges, and completed the local pokedex (which was how she earned her a scholarship to the Technological University). 

Ari’s the one who introduced me to the concept of bio-mimicry in engineering. At its most basic, its the idea of finding solutions to man-made problems in nature. 

For example, the stone exoskeleton of an Onyx undergoes a chemical transition when exposed to metal coat. Regardless of whether the Onyx started with a granite, slate, or sandstone based exoskeleton, the resulting Steelix has an exoskeleton with 20 times the compressive strength of aerospace grade steel and 50 times the tensile strength. Understanding how that chemical transformation happens has allowed researchers to convert stone to steel in the laboratory, no Pokemon necessary. This new type of super steel has the possibility to revolutionize building. Imagine being able to pour concrete forms and then transform the concrete to steel. Imagine the applications in civil engineering, bridges, roads, construction. 

Long story short, I fell down a bunnelby hole and declared a concentration in biomimicry to go with my mechanical engineering degree. 

Now, I’m working on my senior project and applying to different companies. The problem is I have a bit of a big gap in my knowledge base. I’ve never owned a Pokemon. Everything I know comes from research articles and trips to the local reserves when I can observe the local species. 

Ari’s been trying to convince me for the last 4 years to get my own Pokemon. The college has a dedicated daycare center and you can take classes on Pokemon Care, battling skills, and contest skills for humanity credits and Physical Education credits respectively. There’s even special accommodations for Pokemon in the dorms. We’re only 4 hours by train from the Unova League, so lots of people spend their breaks challenging gyms.

If I’m being honest, I’ve been relying on a lot of excuses to avoid becoming a trainer. After all these years, I’m a little scared. What if I mess up? What if I’m not a good a trainer and my Pokemon get hurt or they hurt someone else? 

But, it’s time to get over those fears. I have a job offer from the Pokemon Transport Company. I’ll be working closely with a team of engineers and Pokemon to create new methods of transportation. 

I know if anyone reads this, they’ll probably think I’m an idiot for catching a Pokemon to improve my resume. I can already hear the people calling me irresponsible and impulsive, but I’m not. The job is just an excuse. Since I decided to catch my own Pokemon, I haven’t been able to stop dreaming about the adventures I longed for as a kid. I feel like I’m a day shy of my 10th birthday again and there’s a whole new adventure waiting on the horizon. I’m terrified of messing up, because I want so badly for this to go well.

I’ve done my research and selected 3 species of Pokemon that I know I have the resources to care for and I believe will fit well with my lifestyle. I booked a train ticket to the wild area outside of Celend and I have a variety of pokeballs in my bag. I’ve never been to the wild area, but from my research this region is dominated by deciduous forests, clean flowing streams, and pristine wetlands. It shouldn’t be difficult to track down a caterpie, pidgey, or seedot.

Welp… The train is pulling into my stop. Guess It’s time to stop writing about become a Pokemon trainer and actually go do it!


	2. Chapter 2

Things did not go according to plan…

The wild area is incredible!

The Valley Train Station is the biggest in the area for good reason. It’s the last piece of civilization for 50 square miles. There’s a small hotel, a restaurant, a Pokemon Center, and a shop selling first aid supplies, maps, and pokeballs. The Valley Station looks just the way I pictured it– log cabin on a massive scale. The vaulted ceiling is held up by rough-hewn timbers more than a foot across. The wooden floors are polished smooth by a century of foot traffic. The lights were obviously converted from candles to electricity sometime around the invention of the light bulb and haven’t been updated since. The light, dimmed and warmed by thick glass, only added to the rustic atmosphere. Stepping off the train into the station felt like stepping into history. 

The station wasn’t crowded. The shop was empty and when i saw what they were charging for pokeballs out here, it wasn’t hard to figure out why. A cluster of hikers were refilling their water bottles. Based on the size of the bags I figured there were planning to be in the wild for at least a few days. 

I swear I could feel people watching me. Girl by herself, no pokeballs on her belt, I was ready for someone to stop me with a lecture, but no one did.

I stepped out of the station and was half blinded by the sun. When I blinked my eyes and my vision cleared, the enormity of what I was about to do finally hit. 

I was standing on top of a small hill. Below the wild area stretched as far as I could see. A wide meadow dissolved into a dense, green forest. In the distance, mountains loomed. A gust of wind ruffled my hair and brought with it the sweet smell of honeysuckle in bloom.

All I could do was stare. I didn’t know where to start.

In the distance, I heard a familiar squawk. It was a pidgey. I was sure of it.

With a deep breath, I took took my first step down the dirt path towards the meadow. The sun was high overhead. I had about 5 hours until dark and the last train home.

The meadow was bigger than I first thought. When I made it down the hill and into the field I found the grass and flowers were waist high at least. All I could hear was a steady rustle from the field. I couldn’t tell if it was from Pokemon or the wind.

I fingered the repel on my belt. For the first time I thought, _Maybe this wasn’t a good idea_. 

10 steps in I brushed a flower with my elbow and it chirped at me. Or more accurately the small, white fairy Pokemon perched on the flower chirped at me.

I may have screamed a little bit. The Flabebe screamed a little bit back. The plants around it started to wave and grow. I know a vine whip when I see it coming and bolted. 

I stumbled off the path and nearly collided with a zigzagoon that wasn’t too happy about my sudden appearance. It snapped at me and I kept running. 

In my panic, I forgot about the repel on my belt and ran head first through the grass and flowers. The rustling on the grass was louder off the path and it was definitely following me. 

I ran until the the grass grew shorter and I tripped over a tree root. I rolled onto my back just in time to see 3 zigzagoon come barreling out of the grass. I grabbed the repel and sprayed the whole bottle.

The zigzagoon stopped short, wrinkled their noses, and then disappeared back into the meadow.

In case you are wondering, repels smell terrible.

At this point, I should have called it a day, crossed the meadow now that I was soaked in repel, gone home, and paid someone to help me catch a Pokemon.

But, I am stubborn and I figured I’d spent enough time researching and preparing for this. I would be fine. 

So, I set off through the forest. I figured I’d meet up with the meadow path if I kept walking parallel to the edge of the forest.

I got distracted. The forest was beautiful. The sunlight filtered through the canopy in golden beams and soft green shadow. The trees were big, too wide for me to reach my arms around. 

I heard a pidgey call in the distance and saw a butterfee pass far over head. Without thinking, I followed it deeper into the trees.

Every turn was something new. I saw a foongus perched on a fallen log and a small herd of deerling in their spring pink grazing in a clearing. 

In the distance, I heard a river, and when I ended up on its bank I could only stop and stare again. Water boiled over rocks to form a wild set of rapids. In the calm pools along the bank, a wooper watched me for a moment with wide eyes before diving under the surface.

Overhead, a braviary soared.

I noticed the sun was already lower than I had expected. I’d burned at least 2 hours already. It was time to get serious. 

I used the river to wash some of the repel off my arms and stashed my repel soaked jacket in my bag. I made sure my pokeballs were in easy reach.

Sneaking up on Pokemon didn’t work out so well. I found plenty of caterpie, but by the time I got within pokeball range, they scampered up into the canopy. 

At one point, a pidgey came flying by. I threw, missed, and lost the pokeball in the underbrush.

Then, I spotted them. 3 seedot handing from a low branch at the edge of a clearing.

The wind was blowing towards me, so they wouldn’t smell the repel lingering on my clothes. I crept closer.

I pressed myself tight against the tree trunk and readied my pokeball.

“Wee?”

I froze. Something nudged my shoulder. Slowly, I turned my head. There was a weedle climbing from the tree trunk to my backpack. 

I swallowed hard. My mom was allergic to weedle stings. I’d never been stung, but there was a good chance I was allergic too. But, it would be fine because weedle didn’t sting unless you startled them.

Something shrieked, “SEEEEEEE!” and came hurtling to the ground in front of me. 

I jumped, the weedle went flying, and the seedot hopped to its feet with a victorious, “Dot!”

I’d thought I was sneaking up on the seedot, but they were just waiting for the perfect opportunity to startle me. It’s one of the species’ favorite hobbies.

The seedot blinked at me and I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Very funny,” I told it as I readied my pokeball.

That’s when I heard the buzzing.

I turned to see the weedle I’d launched staring at me with a very large and very angry looking beedrill behind it.

The seedot took off running and I was right behind it.

I was out of repel. It was getting dark fast and the beedrill seemed to be enjoying chasing me through the forest.

In the distance, I saw the trees beginning to thin and put on one last burst of speed. If I could make it to the meadow, maybe the beedrill would let me go.

It wasn’t the meadow. 

I tumbled headfirst into a marshy pond and came up sputtering. The beedrill was bearing down. I swear it was grinning with those mandibles.

I squeezed my eyes closed and threw up my arms shield my face.

The sting never came. 

Instead I heard something a bit like a hose.

I opened my eyes in time to see another jet of water slam into the beedrill and drive it back in to the forest. It took off without a backwards glance.

I turned slowly, careful not to startle whatever Pokemon decided to come to my rescue.

A pair of red eyes stared at me from the weeds.

“I’m not going to hurt you,” I promised. “I owe you one anyway.”

The Pokemon slipped out of the cattails and I smiled. “I didn’t know squirtle lived here.”

“Squir?” the squirtle mumbled. It swam closer, probably trying to figure out what sort of weird human had landed in its pond.

It circled me slowly.

I shivered. The pond wasn’t deep, but it was cold and the sun was definitely setting. The sky was fading for a soft lavender overhead.

“I don’t suppose you know the way back to the meadow?” I asked the squirtle.

“Squirtle,” It replied. It paused in its circling and stood on its hind legs. 

Something rustled in the underbrush and the squirtle whipped around to face the trees, foam bubbling in its mouth. 

That’s when I spotted the mark on its shell, a little pink in heart drawn in purple nail polish.

 _This is someone’s Pokemon_ , I realized.

When nothing appeared from the underbrush, the squirtle turned back to me.

“Where’s your trainer?” I asked.

The squirtle tilted its head and then paddled over to me. I held still while it bumped my shoulder with its head.

“Not me,” I sighed. “Where’s your trainer?” I asked again. If squirtle’s trainer was nearby, they’d know how to get back to the meadow and the train station.

Squirtle just headbutted me again.

A heartbreaking theory began to form in my mind. I was sure squirtle weren’t native to this area. Looking at it, the squirtle seemed under sized. Its shell was rough, not smooth and sleek like the ones I was used to seeing at the reserves, possibly the result of a vitamin deficiency. 

As I sat there, it nudged me again and tried to crawl into my lap.

With the squirtle sitting on my knees, I pulled out a pokeball. If squirtle had a trainer, my pokeball wouldn’t work on it. 

Squirtle’s face lit up at the sight of my pokeball and it didn’t try to dodge as I activated the ball.

The squirtle disappeared into the ball in a beam of red light. The ball quivered once in my hand and then stilled. I’d caught my first Pokemon and I was royally pissed. _Who in releases a Pokemon in an area they don’t live? This pond isn’t big enough for a squirtle. They need lots of space to swim and hunt for fish. This squirtle is clearly used to people. There is a good chance it was breed in captivity. Most squirtle these days are._

I cradled the pokeball to my chest. Tears blurred my vision. We were both lost and alone in the woods. 

The sound of laughter and the squeal of braking tires startled me out of my thoughts. 

I turned and spotted a pair of bikers, two girls, on the other side of the pond.

“You okay?” one of the girls asked.

“Any chance you know how to get back to the train station?” I asked. My voice only wavered a little bit.

… 

Turns out the bikers were on their way back to the station same as me. There names were Lily and Abby. They’d been biking and camping across the wild area for 3 days. We weren’t far from the meadow and the path they were on would take us all back to the station. I told them they didn’t need to walk with me, but both insisted on walking their bikes beside me. We talked while we walked. I found out Lily and Abby were a couple years older than me and this was their second anniversary. They’d met challenging the Sinnoh League after high school and fallen in love while training together for the championship tournament. 

Lily was horrified that I’d come to the wild area alone, without a Pokemon. Before she could shift into full on mom mode, Abby cut her off with a light elbow. “I’m pretty sure I remember someone who caught her first pokemon by chasing it around in the tall grass until it was too tired to runaway.”

Lily rolled her eyes. “Abs, I was 8, I didn’t know any better, and it was a beadoof. That’s not the same thing.”

Abby just laughed and Lily shook her head with a smile.

“I guess it all worked out okay, judging from the pokeball you’re hugging,” Lily added with a glance in my direction.

I nodded and told them about the day’s misadventures.

Abby giggled. “Remember when we ran into all of those kakuna last year.”

Lily shuddered. “Yeah. I remember saving your bug-phobic butt from mama-beedrill.”

Abby and Lily saw me safely onto the train and insisted on giving me their phone numbers. “In case you ever want to explore the wild area again,” Abby said. “And in case you want to battle once you get that squirtle trained up,” Lily added. “Most fun battle I’ve ever had was against a blastoise.”

So now I’m riding the train back to campus with squirtle safe in its pokeball. I had the Pokemon center at the Valley Station check it over and they said the squirtle isn’t in immediate danger, but I needed to schedule a visit to my home Pokemon Center. Squirtle and I have one scheduled for first thing in the morning. 

I’m still damp, muddy, and cold, but I’m also excited. I’ve been reading about squirtle on my phone and I think I can make this work. I don’t know what squirtle’s life looked like before we met, but I promise it’s going to have a great life with me. I already love squirtle dearly. The brave, sweet, little thing it is.


End file.
